13 Romans 14:1-12

LOVE & FREEDOM

FOCUSMaybe there is a weird food you love that no one else will even try or maybe you are a big fan of a band most other people think is terrible. We all have likes and interests that others find odd or just don’t like. Our distinct likes and interests only become a problem when we try to force others to share them or look down on others because they don’t share them. The fact that we are all different and have unique interests and passions is actually a good thing, as we can learn from and grow in our understanding of one another. Today, we will take a look at how Paul addressed some believers who were arguing and judging one another over various practices that were not essential to their faith. In light of this, Paul challenged his readers to realize that following Jesus means living in community and loving other people more than our own preferences.

Following Christ means living in community. It requires loving others more than our own preferences.

This week’s

TRUTHCentral

Session 13 // 101

13.01 WHAT IS ONE THING YOU REALLY LIKE THAT MOST OF YOUR FRIENDS

DON’T? WHY DO YOU THINK OTHERS DON’T LIKE IT?

.02 HAVE YOU EVER TRIED TO CONVINCE OTHERS THAT THIS THING IS GOOD?

HOW DID IT GO?

Talk it out

Begin by reading through the passage.

EXPLORATIONRomans 14:1-12

1 Accept anyone who is weak in faith, but don’t argue about disputed matters. 2 One person believes he may eat anything, while one who is weak eats only vegetables. 3 One who eats must not look down on one who does not eat, and one who does not eat must not judge one who does, because God has accepted him. 4 Who are you to judge another’s household servant? Before his own Lord he stands or falls. And he will stand, because the Lord is able to make him stand. 5 One person judges one day to be more important than another day. Someone else judges every day to be the same. Let each one be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 Whoever observes the day, observes it for the honor of the Lord. Whoever eats, eats for the Lord, since he gives thanks to God; and whoever does not eat, it is for the Lord that he does not eat it, and he gives thanks to God. 7 For none of us lives for himself, and no one dies for himself. 8 If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. 9 Christ died and returned to life for this: that he might be Lord over both the dead and the living. 10 But you, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or you, why do you despise your brother or sister? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. 11 For it is written,

As I live, says the Lord,every knee will bow to me,and every tongue will give praise to God.

12 So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.

102 // Explore the Bible: Students

.03 WHAT ARE SOME OF THE MOST COMMON THINGS

CHRISTIANS FIGHT AND ARGUE ABOUT? WHY DO YOU THINK

PEOPLE FEEL SO STRONGLY ABOUT THESE THINGS THAT

THEY ARE WILLING TO GET INTO HEATED ARGUMENTS?

.04 ARE ANY OF THESE ISSUES WORTH THE AMOUNT OF TIME

AND ENERGY WE SPEND FIGHTING? WHY OR WHY NOT?

Romans 14:1-4

CONVERSATION

LITERARY CONTEXTPaul’s challenge to accept one another and not fight over disputable matters is not a ban on standing your ground. The matters Paul has in mind are secondary at best, not fundamental truths of the Christian faith. Remember that Paul was not ashamed of the gospel (Rom. 1:16). Much of Romans is dedicated to standing up for the truth of the gospel. In other letters, Paul wrote strong words against anyone who would deny the gospel of salvation by grace through faith (Phil. 3:2; Gal. 1:8; 2 Cor. 11:1-4). Paul’s point then in Romans 14:1-4 is not that we should never argue but that we should love each other and accept each other despite our differences on secondary issues.

Reflect and respond.

.05 WHAT KINDS OF THINGS WERE PEOPLE IN ROME ARGUING

ABOUT? WHY DID THEY FEEL SO STRONGLY?

.06 WHAT DOES PAUL INDICATE IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN WHO IS RIGHT AND

WRONG IN THESE DEBATES? WHAT DOES THIS TELL US ABOUT LIVING IN COMMUNITY

WITH OTHER BELIEVERS?

Romans 14:5-8

Session 13 // 103

13.08 FOR WHAT REASON DID JESUS DIE AND RISE AGAIN

(V. 9)? HOW DOES THIS PUT INTO PERSPECTIVE OUR

ARGUMENTS AND JUDGMENTS AGAINST OTHERS OVER

SECONDARY THINGS?

.09 HOW CAN BEING AWARE OF OUR OWN ACCOUNTABILITY TO GOD (VV. 10-12)

HELP US LOVE OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST BETTER?

.10 RATHER THAN ARGUING WITH AND JUDGING ONE ANOTHER ON NONESSENTIAL MATTERS,

WHAT SHOULD WE BE DOING INSTEAD?

Romans 14:9-12

Journal your response here.

THEOLOGICAL CONTEXT

Paul’s point in verses 7-8 was that all believers should live with an awareness that they are accountable to God. Decisions about matters such as special days and eating meat should not be based on how we feel, but in accordance with the will of God as understood by the individual. Even in death, we maintain our relationship to God. To live means to honor the Lord. To die is no different. Whether we live or die we belong to the Lord (1 Thess. 5:10). Since each believer belongs to God, we should not divide over the decisions of another in matters not central to the faith.

.07 HOW SHOULD THE TRUTH OF VERSE 8 SHAPE THE WAY

YOU LIVE ON A DAILY BASIS?

104 // Explore the Bible: Students

NOW WHAT?

.11 WHAT IS WORTH FIGHTING OVER? WHAT ISN’T? HOW CAN WE TELL

THE DIFFERENCE?

.12 WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR PREFERENCES ABOUT CHURCH? HOW CAN YOU

FIGHT THE TEMPTATION TO FORCE THESE PREFERENCES ON OTHERS?

.13 HOW DOES JUDGING EACH OTHER OVER SECONDARY ISSUES KEEP US

FROM LOVING EACH OTHER? HOW MIGHT IT DISTRACT US FROM THE MISSION

JESUS HAS GIVEN US OF MAKING DISCIPLES?

.14 WHAT IS ONE STEP YOU COULD TAKE TOWARD LOVING OR SERVING A

BROTHER OR SISTER IN CHRIST BETTER?

CENTRALTRUTH

Following Christ means living in community. It requires loving

others more than our own preferences.

How does this apply to your life?

Session 13 // 105

Choose five days this week to set aside time to dig deeper into God’s Word with these devotions. We hope you’ll make this a priority and encourage others in your group to do so as well.

DwellWe have freedom to live freely; Jesus made this possible when He triumphed over sin and gave us the ability to do the same. However, if by our freedom we make others trip into sin, we’re not living in love. So our freedom to eat and do the things we love must be tempered by those around us. Everything we do should help others seek and know Jesus.

.01 HOW CAN YOU BE MORE AWARE OF

THE NEEDS AND WEAKNESSES OF THE

PEOPLE AROUND YOU?

.02 FOR WHAT SHOULD YOU PRAY SO

THAT YOU’LL HAVE THE SPIRITUAL

AWARENESS OF HOW TO LIVE?

MemorizeWrite each word from this week’s verse on a different index card. Mix them up and then place them in order.

PrayThank God for the freedom we have through Jesus. Give Him your freedoms and choose to love others by monitoring your own actions.

ROMANS 14:8-18

FOR BIBLE READING

Day One

7 Arrows

WHAT DOES THIS PASSAGE SAY?

HOW DOES THIS PASSAGE CHANGE

THE WAY I RELATE TO PEOPLE?

WHAT DOES THIS PASSAGE TELL US

ABOUT GOD?

WHAT DID THIS PASSAGE MEAN TO ITS ORIGINAL

AUDIENCE?

HOW DOES THIS PASSAGE PROMPT ME

TO PRAY?

WHAT DOES THIS PASSAGE TELL US

ABOUT MAN?

WHAT DOES THIS PASSAGE DEMAND

OF ME?

DEVOTIONSDaily

106 // Explore the Bible: Students

DwellThe strong help to support the weak in Jesus. We serve others in our areas of strength just as we have been served in our own lives. Not only that, but we can learn from the endurance and encouragement in the Bible! The men and women whose lives were totally yielded to God reveal how we can work together and glorify God as though we are singing with one voice.

.01 WHAT DOES THIS PASSAGE

COMMAND US TO DO? HOW DOES THIS

PASSAGE ENCOURAGE US?

.02 IN WHAT AREAS ARE YOU STRONG?

HOW IS GOD CALLING YOU TO USE

THOSE TO HELP OTHERS?

MemorizeWrite down just the important words from this week’s verse (nouns, verbs, adjectives). Try to say the verse aloud by filling in the other words.

PrayPraise God for the Bible and the believers around us who encourage us and give us endurance.

DwellCertain things are prohibited by the Ten Commandments; other things we choose to do or not to do because of how the Holy Spirit leads us. The Ten Commandments are non-negotiable; the Spirit-led directives are personal. As Christians, we live according to the Spirit at work in us and we love others by respecting their own personal convictions.

.01 WHERE DO YOU AND A FRIEND

DISAGREE ON AN ACTION? HOW CAN

STILL YOU ENCOURAGE AND RESPECT

HIM/HER?

.02 ACCORDING TO VERSE 19, WHAT

SHOULD YOUR ACTIONS PROMOTE?

MemorizeUse a dry erase marker to write this week’s verse on a mirror. Say it aloud. For a challenge, erase one word and say it again. Repeat!

PrayConfess your tendency to be legalistic about the personal directives you have from the Holy Spirit.

ROMANS 15:1-6ROMANS 14:19-23Day ThreeDay Two

Session 13 // 107

DwellThough the Jews (descendants of Abraham) and Gentiles (anyone not a Jew) constantly struggled against each other, Paul explains in this passage that they were both actually part of God’s amazing plan. The promised Savior of the world would come through the Jews, but through Him the Gentiles would be able to praise Him as Lord, with the Jews. Glory to the God who unites us all.

.01 HOW IS GOD DESCRIBED IN

VERSE 13? WITH WHAT DOES HE

FILL US?

.02 ACCORDING TO VERSE 13, WHAT DO

WE DO THAT LEADS GOD TO FILL US

WITH HOPE AND JOY?

MemorizeTry to set this week’s verse to a simple kids’ song. Sing it aloud during your down time.

PrayChoose to believe who God says He is according to His word. Invite Him to fill you with joy and peace.

ROMANS 15:10-13Day Five

DwellConsider how Christ accepted you: in mercy, in love, full of grace, while you were still a sinner. In this same manner, we are called to accept one another. When we love as Christ loved, we bring glory to God. We can’t even begin to imagine the impact our love has on the world around us, but we can choose to believe we are called to praise God through how we treat others.

.01 IN WHAT WAYS WERE GENTILES

AND JEWS OPPOSED TO ONE

ANOTHER? HOW DO THESE VERSES

ADDRESS THAT?

.02 DO HUMANS NATURALLY ACCEPT

ONE ANOTHER? HOW DOES ACCEPTING

EACH OTHER POINT TO JESUS?

MemorizeMake up motions for each short phrase in this week’s verse. Practice saying it aloud as you do the motions.

PrayThank God for sending Jesus to accept us freely and fully.

ROMANS 15:7-9Day Four

108 // Explore the Bible: Students